Will Swansea be able to take their place in what's known internationally as the EPL, that's English Premier League, in a new independent Wales?Here's out take on the Super Swans http://welshnewsnot.wordpress.com/

The same applies to Swancelona's sister club in the Catalan capital. Who will they play when Catalunya becomes independent?

More seriously, it shouldn't matter. Monaco plays in the French league. Berwick plays in the Scottish league. Derry City plays in the Irish Republic's league. Andorra plays in the Spanish league. Toronto plays in the US league.

Welsh clubs have been in the top tier of the English system before saying that the this is the first time in the Prem league is just marketing bull crap. Toshack early 80's team played mostly the same teams 30 years ago!!

It may be marketing, but it makes a big difference. The Premier League was formed because the big clubs wanted more money, and to have it all to themselves rather than spread across the whole league structure. As a result, playing in it gives a club huge additional sums of money, mostly from broadcasting. Swansea have made a much bigger step than they made 30 years ago.

We must now hope they can stay up for longer than they did in the 80s.

Swansea, Cardiff and others play in the English league because they are older than most English clubs and because Welsh clubs helped found the entire sport. It's completely legitimate and crucially it's a Wales-England partnership, not a British one. Cardiff and Swansea are principally bound by the FAW rather than a British-wide association. It's exactly the relationship of equality that we want to see between the nations in the British Isles.

Got to say I am concerned about the implications of Swansea in the EPL. Were I Reading I'd be unhappy that a team which isn't a member of the club (English FA) were taking the place of other teams which are. You can't play on a golf club green unless you're a member of the golf club.

Were Cardiff to go up too, then it could be quite difficult. They may have to chose between leaving the FAW and joining the English FA, or create some kind of hybrid new Englandandwales (AKA England) FA.

The comparison with Barcelona isn't correct.

The Spanish state actively campaigins against a UEFA and FIFA recognised Basque and Catalan teams, so Barca are part of the Spanish FA. The are, legally, a Spanish team.

The other difference is that Barcelona fans would never, ever, fly the Spanish flag. If Swansea want Wales to get behind them, then they need to stop flying the Union Jack. I'll never support a team which flies the flag which has colonised and subjected by language.

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